Techmanity 2014, Silicon Valley’s first official technology conference, today announced the winners of the Techmanitarian Awards, recognizing next-generation innovators and rule-breakers who are using technology to improve our world. The awards ceremony will take place during opening night events on Oct. 1.

Internet prodigy and activist Aaron Swartz (Photo: Business Wire)

Presented by Samsung Electronics, The Techmanitarian Awards are given to courageous companies and individuals making a meaningful societal impact through technology, its applications and/or profits. Candidates will have made a measurable difference in solving pressing social, political, environmental, health or economic challenges through innovation or disruption.

“To be a Techmanitarian one must be a pioneer – an advocate for bringing vast change to their given industry and to the world,” said Michael S. Malone, author and associate fellow at Oxford University’s Said Business School. “The winners are the agitators needed to be spokespeople for us all.”

This year’s honorees include:

Aaron Swartz (Posthumous Award) – AnInternet activist and virtuoso programmer, Swartz founded Creative Commons in 2010; started Demand Progress, a group which fought against Internet censorship and the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). In an act of civil disobedience, he downloaded millions of academic journal articles from digital library JSTOR which led to his arrest. In 2013, while awaiting trial, Swartz tragically took his own life.

Participant Media – The global entertainment giant, founded by former eBay president Jeff Skoll, uses powerful stories to inspire and energize people to take social action. The company has produced such documentaries as“An Inconvenient Truth,” and “Food Inc.,”as well as commercial films that have shone a spotlight on social and historical issues, including “The Help”and “Lincoln.”

Nicholas Negroponte – Known as a distinguished architect, media expert, best-selling author, entrepreneur and educator, Negroponte founded the One Laptop Per Child program (OLPC), which has brought the promise of revolutionary change to more than 40 countries delivering nearly three million computers to students in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

“It’s truly an honor to recognize Aaron Swartz, Participant Media and Nicholas Negroponte with this year’s Techmanitarian Awards,” said Tom Hayes, the tech executive who founded Techmanity. “Each honoree has forced us to rethink our relationship with technology, and to re-imagine the future and the world.”

About TechmanityTechmanity is Silicon Valley’s first annual technology and lifestyle event celebrating the companies and people whose products and services are revolutionizing our world.

For two days in October 2014, Techmanity will command center stage on the tech world with mind-blowing demos and presentations from the brightest people in the industry, dozens of exciting networking events hosted by leading Silicon Valley companies and an incredible line-up of special programs showcasing the best new apps, business models and startup ideas on the planet.